As much as a Rat’s Tail

Korean Slang, Invective & Euphemism

– the Insider’s guide

An Irreverent look at Language within Culture

Get ‘street’ with A Rat’s Tail – Learn what the kids are really saying, all the Korean they will never teach you in class.

Korean is rich with the dynamic linguistic expressions and freshly coined language. A Rat’s Tail dives into the intricacies of modern Korean slang introducing the hip, hot, spicy and sexual, the irreverent and inspiring, the cultural, crass and comical.

This is the Korean not covered in the language books, full of color and infused with philosophy. With A Rat’s Tail in hand, you can impress others with your verbal acumen as you complement their fashion sense, dish out dirty words, or text up a storm, while you gain insight into the mind and culture of the Korean people.

The Mob of Supporting Characters

ByungShik 병식 weak and a little slow, but somehow lucky KwangSung 광성 rushes in to danger and loses HwaSeok 화석 a rock-headed & duplicitous army private

Bom 봄 the salary man, father & husband (Spring) YeoReum 여름 the cute daughter (Summer) Kaeul 가을 the MILF, a career woman and supermom (Fall) KyoWul 겨울 the good son of Spring (Winter)

Ajumma1 아줌마1 an older married woman Ajumma2 아줌마2 a second such married woman

El Presidente

SeungMan 승만 1st President of Korea (the Freedom fighter) ChungHee 정희 3rd President of Korea (the Adamant Industrialist) DooHwan 두환 5th President of Korea (the Mass Murderer) DaeJung 대중 8th President of Korea (Sunshine Policy Apologist) MyungBak 명박 10th President of Korea (Where’s the Beef?) GeunHye 근혜 11th President of Korea (The Dictator’s Daughter) Psy 싸이 the surprising poster boy of Korean culture MinShik 민식 the star of the original ‘Old Boy’ JiTae 지태 the other main actor in ‘Old Boy’ Bill 빌 “Party on!” Ted 테드 “Excellent!” Robin 로빈 the put-upon side kick Batman 배트맨 the main man (or so he says)PC the clunky computer you should never buy Mac 맥 the apple of my eye